A Bharatiya Janata Party legislator from Sitapur district of Uttar Pradesh has hit out at his own government, saying lawmakers in the state do not have any freedom to speak the truth.
Rakesh Rathore, a first-time MLA, told media that if he makes too many statements, it may lead to a sedition case being filed against him. Rathore's remarks came when media persons asked him about getting a trauma centre in Sitapur, which has been constructed but not yet operationalised.
“I have taken many steps, but what is the stature of legislators? If I speak too much, then sedition charges may be invoked against me,” he was quoted as saying by news agency IANS.
“Do you think MLAs can speak their mind? You know I have raised questions in the past,” he further said.
Rathore joined the BJP ahead of the 2017 assembly elections. He had earlier fought elections as an independent and was also associated with the Bahujan Samaj Party.
In April 2020, the BJP had issued a show cause against Rathore, for his alleged comments against the party leadership. An audio had gone viral in which the law maker was heard ridiculing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision to clap in support of corona warriors.
